• Engineering the Alliance: JED in the 21st Century and Beyond

    As the new millennium unfolded, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Japan Engineer District (JED) entered a transformative era. Building upon decades of bilateral cooperation, JED adapted to evolving strategic priorities, technological advancements, and global challenges, all while maintaining its commitment to excellence in engineering, construction and delivery.
  • Strengthening the Foundation: JED from Cold War to Postwar Transition (1980–2000)

    As the 1980s dawned, the Japan Engineer District (JED) had firmly established itself as a cornerstone of the U.S. military’s presence in Asia. But in the two decades that followed, marked by geopolitical upheaval, economic transformation, and sweeping defense restructuring, JED didn’t just hold the line. It evolved, innovated, and adapted to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world.
  • A New Beginning: The Formation of the Japan Engineer District (1972–1980)

    The 1970s brought a seismic shift to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the Far East. On May 15, 1972, after nearly three decades of U.S. administration, Okinawa was officially returned to Japan. The return wasn’t just political; it reshaped how American engineers operated in the region.
  • Federal channel dredging begins at outer Grand Haven Harbor

    Annual U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District maintenance dredging operations are scheduled to begin Friday, June 13, in the federal channel at outer Grand Haven Harbor, Michigan. The project is scheduled to remove 14,600 cubic yards of material from the mouth of the Grand River where seasonal shoaling accumulates. The project is expected to conclude by June 30, weather dependent.
  • Corps of Engineers performs Charlevoix Superfund Site demolitions

    Excavation and demolition work at the Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site in Charlevoix, Michigan is underway to deconstruct structures at three sites and remove contaminated soil from 13 areas, under project management by the U.S. Corps of Engineers, Detroit District.
  • Savannah District Secures Emergency Funds for Hurricane Helene Cleanup at Thurmond Lake

    SAVANNAH, Ga. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Savannah District, was informed by the Federal Highway Administration that the requested allocation of Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads (ERFO) has been approved and distribution of funds will be provided to support critical transportation infrastructure repairs and debris removal efforts at J. Strom Thurmond Lake for damage caused by Hurricane Helene.
  • User Guidelines on Catchment Post-Wildfire Hydrological Modeling

    Abstract: Wildfires significantly alter watershed hydrology by increasing runoff due to reduced infiltration from soil-water repellency. To predict long-term wildfire impacts, a coupled framework was developed to simulate postfire changes in soil hydraulic properties, infiltration, and hydrological response. This framework integrates Wildfire-Induced Soil Hydraulic (WISH) Factors with a Soil-Moisture Threshold (SMT) formulation in the Green and Ampt infiltration model, representing reduced infiltration due to water repellency. Postfire inputs, including burn severity, soil type, and land use, are formatted for the Gridded Surface Subsurface Hydrologic Analysis (GSSHA) model to ensure realistic hydrological simulations. The approach was applied to the 41.7 km² Upper Arroyo Seco watershed in northeast Los Angeles County, where 95% of the area was burned during the August 2009 Station Fire. Hydrological simulations effectively captured increased water repellency and excess runoff following postfire rainfall, demonstrating the model’s ability to represent wildfire-induced watershed changes and improve postfire hydrological assessments.
  • Enhanced Route Reconnaissance—Generation 1

    Abstract: The movement of soldiers and materiel across battlespace is critical to a successful military operation. Knowledge of the road network condition ensures safe and successful vehicle maneuver. This research focused on remote assessment of poor-quality paved road networks for vehicle maneuver using data products derived from three-dimensional point clouds. Point clouds were generated from lidar sensors deployed from ground and airborne platforms to enable engineering analysis of the pavement surface. A series of algorithms developed to extract roughness, grade, radius of curvature, and width along the road network ensured storage of information for graphical display. A vehicle speed lookup table was calculated by conducting computer simulations using the NATO Reference Mobility Model over a range of road parameters. The lookup table enabled determination of the maximum allowable speed for a given vehicle type associated with the extracted road parameters. A graphical interface, developed for displaying the percentage speed reduction as either red, amber, or green squares along the road network, provided visual assessments of road condition. This report summarizes developing a software suite to calculate and visualize speed reduction over a road network as a function of route geometry, condition, and vehicle type. The interface developed can aid in critical logistical decisions that influence the success of military maneuver operations.
  • Inside the Mission of the Buffalo District Regulatory Branch

    From Lake Erie to the wetlands of upstate New York, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District’s Regulatory Branch is playing a crucial role in preserving the nation’s aquatic resources — all while balancing the needs of progress and development. At its core, the Regulatory Branch’s mission is about balance, “We aim to serve the public by balancing the protection and reasonable use of aquatic resources for the nation,” said Shaina Souder, a biologist with the Buffalo District’s Regulatory Branch.
  • A Legacy that Floats: Savannah District Dedicates New Survey Vessels Honoring Fallen Georgia Soldiers

    SAVANNAH, Ga. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District officially welcomed three new hydrographic survey vessels to its fleet, during a dedication ceremony, June 12, 2025, at the District’s Engineers Depot in Savannah, Georgia.